Right Behind You
by Tariff
Summary: "This wasn't supposed to happen, that person was clearly coming towards me." Ryder witness his best friend being injured right before his own eyes. Updates on Mondays. Ryder & Jake fan-fiction based-no slash-mention of other glee characters.
1. R

Chapter 1

:Narration by Ryder:

_Everything happened so fast, one minute we were joking having fun and then seconds later; he was instantly he was on the ground. I remember telling Michael to go for help before my attention when back to my friend. He was so puzzled and it wasn't hard, any one could see it. _

_So many thoughts flow that flows with ease now that didn't exist hour or so ago. That pacific moment my mind was dead. All I could remember was his eyes, his brown irises soullessly staring right through me. Just by looking at his eyes, never have I hurt so much._

_This wasn't supposed to happen, that person was clearly coming towards me. Those bullies bullied me but he wanted to help and as he lied there, not speaking all I thought was it should have been me. _

:Narration end:

Mr. Schue turns the corner passing through staff members, guards and nurses when he notice a young and spaced out Ryder sitting in one of the hospital chairs.

"Ryder" he called out but he was too far away to grab the young men's attention.

He moves close and shouts his name again. At that moment, two identical brown glossy and confuse eyes met his as he stood up and began to babble on about what accorded not more than an hour ago.

"Mr. Schue... thank God that you're here, I didn't know who else to call…"

"Hey its ok, what happen…?"

"It happened so fast, we were just talking and it happened..."

"Ryder, slow down..."

His soft brown hair kept falling in his eyes; he wanted to tell him everything! Everything that happened but he couldn't think straight.

"He was bleeding so much and he couldn't stay awake...' Ryder kept rambling on autopilot.

"Ryder... it's ok just calm down..."

He looks away and then looks at his teacher.

"As soon as it happened they ran and they left it in him..."

"Ryder!"

Mr. Schue shouts his name and grabs his attention, he stops and stares at the older man.

"It's going to be ok, the best thing to have done was to have someone get help and to keep the knife were it was. Everything is going to be ok, now just calm down."

He directed the younger teenage to seat back down while placing his hands on his shoulders. Ryder slowly takes a deep breath and nods his head.

Ryder looks up at the teacher. Mr. Schuester was about to seat down alone with the student. "It wasn't my idea it was Jake's, all I did was listen…"

He said tired as he bounces his elbows on his knees and buries his face in his palms.

"Yeah but you listened."

The younger teenage was high on adrenaline and Mr. Schue notice; he watched him nodding his head then slides his face away from his hands and fingers. He curiously turns to the teacher in his chair.

"But I don't get it… they were coming for me, why would they attack him?"

"Did you see who did it?"

"Yes…No... I mean all I could see was Jake in pain."

"It's going to be ok Ryder."

"I am so confused, now that I think of it why would they attack Jake? Or did he push me out of the way?"

The teacher could see how the teenager was lacking enlightenment, he just witnesses his best friend being stabbed; and by the look of things, Jake had tried to save him. The brown hair teen looked away from the choir director and put his interest towards the floor.

He nervously massages his fist repeatedly. Will Schuester sighed quietly; placing one hand on the young man's back and waits patiently.

He barely had to wait not like Ryder when he notices footsteps coming towards them. Both Will and Ryder stands up to greet the doctor. Before the doctor could get any greeting out, the younger man interrupted him.

"How is he?"

The teacher places a hand on Ryder to calm him. He looked away from his teacher and towards the ground; although he was curious too he waited for the doctor to answer. The doctor was told that he road with the other younger man who was attacked, he assumed that this is the best friend.

"He is doing well, he is very lucky; there were no hit arteries punchier. I will need information to contact his family."

"Yeah sure thing."

Ryder waited for Mr. Schue to wrap up the conversation with the doctor.

"When will he be able to come back to school?" A shaken rough voice came from the young man before him.

"He will have to stay a few nights."

"What about seeing him, can I see him?" Ryder asked still a little jumpy.

"He is resting, but sure. He won't be up for awhile but I can take you to him."

Ryder nodded, then turning to his teacher.

"You go ahead Ryder, I will stay here to help contract his family. I will find you later."

Ryder nod once again before following the doctor to Jake's room in R113.

:Narration by Ryder:

_Would it be cliché to say that when I had entered the room that my best friend was pale, and blinded with the sheets? Aside from his darker skin color from me, he was pale and even in his drugged unconscious state; I could still see him in pain. _

_The doctor only walked me to door and opened it for me before we departed from each other. I nod to him for thanks and slowly walked in, I shut the door behind me quietly. I made my way closer to the bed by force… it was strange to be in there, it wasn't just some hours ago we were at school._

_It wasn't not more than a few hours ago we were joking, leaving school when this nightmare struck; and now this never ending tragedy won't stop looping over and over in my head._

_I got close to Jake's bed, seeing the IV, Jake asleep, passed out, dressed in white scrubs, and this was all coming on too fast. It was supposed to be me, they came after me or like I told Mr. Schuester that he stepped in. I should be in the bed… I back away from the bed turn and start to walk away._

_What would the others think? What I can't think of is why, why would he get in the way. Had I seen the knife? Or had he seen it and that's why it happened?_

_I stop myself as though my head felt heavy from presser I lower it._

_I really don't remember that part, when the EMTs came they said it was most likely I was suffering from a anxiety or something, I don't remember that either. I finally grabbed a chair and put it alongside Jake's hospital bed. _

_The only who knows at this time is the unlucky kid from my history class who just happened to be  
there. I couldn't call anymore else, I only called Mr. Schuester, he was the only one I could calm myself down for long enough to do so. _

_I couldn't pull myself together long enough to tell Marley, couldn't make that call. I heard her making plans with him before leaving the choir room for the day. Who would have thought that today could end in terror?_

_ Now the only thing I can do now is wait…_

:Narration end: 

Ryder sat by Jake's bed, elbows on his knees with his hands hiding his face; while he waits.


	2. I

_*What Jake and Ryder does not remember* And again I don't believe or use the b-word myself but I think at one time Ryder did. chapters will get longer don't worry... _

* * *

Jake and Ryder were leaving McKinley for the day right when school was let out for the day. The two decided that spending a day playing video games or shooting hoops should be in an order. It had been awhile since the two hung out, if it wasn't dealing with glee, or homework. The two just needed a guy bonding moment, or that is what Ryder had described it.

"I think you are making that up."

"No Jake I'm not, it's a real thing. I just invented it." Ryder laughed.

"See what did I say, it's not real." Jake pointed out.

"Well one day someone is going to see how awesome my idea and give me an award for it."

"Don't worry when we nationals I will get you a small one for your ego."

"You have jokes."

The two laughed it off, as they step their way to Ryder's place. It was a quick walk and his house was much closer than Jake's house. Right when the boys were about to leave the grounds for good a group of boys blocked their path.

"Hey Ryder, I told you I will meet up with you outside."

"Who is this?" Jake questioned.

He wasn't impressed by the big guy in the letters man jacket.

"This is nobody." Ryder said with no hesitation, he wasn't scared of the bigger guy and he wasn't afraid to show it.

"Oh you must that you are so tough with your black buddy don't ya."

"Hey, I'm half black, and there is no need to pick a fight. We can all be reasonable here."

Jake had put his hand up to distance the pack, but the boy smacked away his hand.

"Maybe I don't want to be reasonable, maybe I came all this way to mess with the 'Ryder'. What kind of name is that anyways?"

Ryder pulls on the straps on his backpack that sat on his shoulders, he sighed heavily. He knew that these big boys were just toying with him. He was no going to lose his anger on them.

"We its better than the name Taren, I mean come on.' Ryder laughed, 'that just sound made up."

Ryder pulled an inside joke with his best friend who just so happen to laugh with him. This had angered the bigger fella. He goes to push Ryder but Jake gets in the way.

"Whoa now hold on now. You just insulted his name and he does the same to you and you're the one getting mad?"

"Yeah with your friends around and all you think your all tough, but your nothing more than a little bitch."

Ryder teased, making the bigger boy go even crazier. He almost pulled back a punch before Jake and Taren's friends held him back.

"Come on man he isn't worth it." One of the guy's friends had said trying to pull the guy back. With Jake's help of pulling away Ryder the other pack got enough strength to hold back Taren.

Jake was pulling his friend back towards the school, thinking maybe they could circle around and go to his house instead. Long enough to pass by Taren who is unstable; when Jake thought they were farther away, he pushed Ryder.

"What was that for?" Ryder laughed confusingly.

"For tipping him off his edge, you're lucky I was here to save you."

The two had already but the argument behind them, and when they thought they were home free. They were wrong. Taren had ran up on Ryder and Jake and put in a sneak attack up on Ryder, punching the boy in the face.

Jake was forced out the way and ducked but when he seen what had happened, seeing his friend fall before catching himself not to fall wrong. Jake had jumped in; he pulled Taren away from Ryder and made him put his attention to him.

Ryder had check if he was bleeding but he wasn't, he touched his face to the spot where Taren's fist had connected with. It would morph into a bruise later. Taren was too powerful for Jake; the bigger boy was packing months of wrestling and football practice on his side.

Once Jake was out of the way, Taren had made his way back to Ryder, he wanted to scare him. Make him learn his less to not embarrass him in front of his friends. He flings an object out of his pocket and began to walk towards him more confident.

Jake could see him going towards Ryder and his friend wasn't paying attention. Jake got up in time to run and get to his friend but he didn't have enough time to protect himself.

In Taren's mind he was going to pull the object out and stop it mid way, or so he thought. It wasn't supposed to be what it had turned out to be. What had knocked Taren out of the trance when it had happened was the wetness on his hand?

When he had looked down he could see a bright red crimson color on his hand, then looking to the person who was there and were his knife was. Ryder had notice the light in front of him go dark completely quick, before realizing Jake was in front of him.

When he had stood up to see what was going on, Taren and his friends was running away and that's when he had seen it.

"Jake…" Ryder calls his friends name, he had not moved and he could see the others running away not getting a good look at their faces.

"Jake what's wrong?" His friend looked a little tipsy from behind, his legs look to be shaky and he pumps into Ryder.

Ryder places his hands towards his back as he falls back upon him. Its when he goes to cradle the darker skin tone boy when he sees the damage. Jake's hands went direction to the metal object that was sticking inside him. Ryder had grabbed hold of his best friend and gently laid him down.

"No no, no, no, no…"

Ryder chants over and over as he looks down and sees the knife, when he was going to reach down to grab it, Jake had stopped him. That was the last time said anything to him. When someone had spoke to Ryder and finding out it was Michael from history class.

Ryder yelled for him to go get help, he scrambled back into the school to what Ryder bet to find a teacher who hasn't left yet. While Ryder waits in the silence with his best friend, as he also tries to pull out his own connection with society and call for help.

==={R.B.Y}===

Ryder did not notice the quiet movement from the bed next to him, as he heard a noise he looks up to see the half black teenager look at him.

"Jake."


	3. G

Ryder head was still resting in his hands, reliving the hours before getting here. The flat surface his face was resting on later transformed into a big fist. He crossed both hands together as he rests his temple on his fist while his arms bounce on his knees.

He had completely forgotten about the shiner he had gotten from earlier today. Mr. Schuester hadn't said anything about it, and no one else had given it much thought.

The brown hair boy looked up for a split second, only from thinking before placing his head back down. He started to tap his feet softly but fast. The rhyme how he was going was keeping him in his inside space; it had only been ten minutes being in the room.

The boy that kept himself business away from the outside world did not notice the movement coming from the bed next to him. There laid Jake waking up from his unconscious slumber. He quietly groans as he awakes, moving his head.

He notices the person beside him, to which for Jake it looked like a nervous Ryder. Jake was still fighting the urge to fall back to sleep, but he did not want to. Ryder had been waiting for him; he wanted to at least give him a small conversation.

He wanted to make sure that his friend was already even thought he was the one in the hospital bed.

"Ryder, hey" his voice rang out of his throat leaving it sore and felt rough as if he has been in a coma for a week.

Ryder was stunned by the voice for many of reasons as he quickly looked up.

"Jake? Wha-the doctor said you weren't going to be up till a few hours..."

"Well I'm up now." Jake tells his friend, as he places both hands on each side of him and slowly pushes himself up from laying down to a awkwardly sitting up position.

"How are you feeling man?" "Sore, but enough about me; I wanted to see how you were doing."

"Me…' Ryder questioned, 'I wasn't the one stabbed."

"Yeah but you saw me get stabbed."

Ryder went silent.

"Yeah about that, did you…did you know he was going to pull out that knife?"

"You're asking me if I had seen it. I wouldn't know, I don't remember Ryder."

Ryder was still speedily tapping his feet and Jake still picked it up as him being nervous.

"Look, all I remember is that I seen him coming towards you and I had to get your back. I wanted to get there before he did and then everything went blank. Had I known he was trying to shank you? No, no I didn't…" Jake trails off he was about to look away when Ryder had questioned him.

"Do you remember anything?"

Jake was the one with the sympathy look not the other. When the hospital patient did not say anything it gave Ryder his answer. However, at this time he wasn't expecting for his friend to ask a question. Jake had asked if he knew what had happened and it scared him when he couldn't give him an answer.

He couldn't remember being hit in the head. He was punched or was he? He did not suffer from a concussion when he received the shiner. But aside from that he was perfectly fine, again aside from having flash backs of seeing his friend in pain.

"Ryder!"

He snaps his head up back to Jake.

"Dude you just blanked out, are you sure your fine?"

"Yeah,' he said timidly sliding his hands on his jeans. 'I just wonder why you did it."

"Really, so if that someone would to have come after me would you have stepped in the way?"

Ryder stays quiet yet again.

"Wow,' Jake teased. 'Don't expect me to save you again."

"What…no, I would have it's just that…I can't shake that memory. I thought you were going too died, and I was terrified."

"We will find out who did this but until then, I think you should get yourself checked out. That guy clearly did something to you head."

"Yeah I can't remember anything, and oh you mean the shiner? No the doctor said I didn't receive a concussion."

"No I mean it looks a little bit bigger."

"Shut up."

Jake laughs but then hisses in pain.

"Whoa, are you ok? Stupid question… Man, take it easy."

"Ow,"

Jake laid his head back more on his pillow and let his eyes rest shut for awhile.

"Let me go get the doctor, I will be right back."

Ryder had gone to stand up but was cut off my Jake.

"Already did."

He gestured down to the button in his bed, he peeked open an eye and smiled weakly. Even thought he didn't some it, he was in pain and now more than he was letting on. A nurse on standby came into the room asking if everything was ok, when she seen that Jake was up she calls for a doctor.

Ryder was directed out by the nurse so they could go into the procedure of checking Jake, something they were suppose to do as soon as he woke up. Once back in the hallway he ran into his teacher.

He gave the student up on contacting Jake mom and Puck; the two would be coming here shortly. He thought it would be best for them to wait until tomorrow to tell the others about it during glee practice. Ryder had liked that idea, it was so much weight lifted off his shoulders.

Not too long after talking the two notice a man in a letter jacket running their way with a woman. Mrs. Puckerman and Puck; mother and stepbrother.

==={R.B.Y}===

Why at school Ryder have been trying to dodge Marley's questions all day. He didn't want to blow her off but he had no choice. He couldn't go through with telling her where his best friend was, where her boy friend was.

"Ryder!" the boy heard from down the hall, as he stops for a hint of a second thinking on what to do.

"Uh I really need to get to class Mar."

"It only takes a second."

His face was facing her, she tried to face him but he stayed hidden. She frowned when the boy wouldn't let her see him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I am almost late for class, and I," instead of finishing he decided to keep walking until she stopped him by touching his arm.

"Whoa, ok well I was wondering have you seen Jake. I can't find him anywhere."

"Hmm no I haven't..."

"I know you're lying, and I know you have been trying to dodge me all day. What is it that you're not telling me?"

"Marley I can't right now, I'm sorry I have to go."

He apologizes without giving her anymore to say as he stalked off.

In other classes it wasn't any better, the others had wonder where Jake was but then again, this was the boy who use to skip. Ryder was thankful when their free period finally came and it was time for glee, a lot of press could be lifted but could also be pushed back on.

As he enter into the choir room, he could see Tina talking to Unique, Blaine by the piano, Sam talking to Artie, Kitty on her cellphone, and a worried Marley standing alone. She was waiting for answers and wondering where Jake was.

The younger girl stalked up to him.

"Oh my Gosh, Ryder."

He knew she was talking about his face and he just pushed that away, she nodded that he didn't want to talk about so she thought it was time to bring up the other subject.

"I gave you your space and you still haven't told me where Jake is."

"I'm sorry I can't…"

He tries to walk away from her and go to his seat.

"Well is he sick, I am what happened yesterday?"

"Marley!"

Ryder looks around hoping not to get an audience.

"Can you please stop, I'm not in the mood, I don't feel well and I can't handle your pressure. So can you…?"

"Yeah' she nods, 'sure."

She backs away, and right on cue Mr. Schuester came into the room. The other kids seen him and all gotten up and went to their seats. Once the teacher had released his bag from his shoulders and placing it on the piano, he looks at a distressed Ryder and knows what he has to do.

"Ok guys listen up; I have some new sheet music that we can go over for possible songs for nationals. But, before that I have some bad news for you guys."

Everyone but Ryder snapped their attention to their teacher,

"Jake might not be with us for awhile."

"What?" Sam questioned alone side the whole glee club.

Marley looked at Ryder.

"Why did something happen?" Artie asked concern.

"Did he finally get suspended?" Kitty questioned.

"No Kitty, late yesterday there was an incident and Jake was a part of it. A student stabbed Jake after school hours."

"What who would do that!"

"Tina we are trying to find out, at this time we know that he wasn't badly hurt and will make a full recovery but he has to stay a few nights at the hospital."

"Why haven't you said anything to us, I saw you leave with Jake yesterday. Was you there?"

Tina questioned a quiet Ryder while the others look to him as well.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Sorry that I couldn't tell you guys that I witness my best friend get stabbed trying to protect me!" Ryder stood up with his backpack.

"Ryder," Mr. Schue tried to calm down.

"No don't try to calm me down Mr. Schue, and no I couldn't tell you guys. I couldn't tell you Marley because I couldn't handle it and you are going to want to know if I seen who done it and I don't know!"

Ryder stands there with a balled up fisted, as he tried to control his emotions.

"Wha- was you hurt to Ryder?" Blaine questioned aside from seeing his bruise.

"The person punched me, but that's all I can remember… or I think I do. I don't remember if I hit my head, or even who he got in the way but… it's my fault that he is there."

"Ryder don't say that." Sam tried to help.

"No it is my fault, that person was coming after me, that I remember, I must of said something and then this happened."

Ryder pats alongside his leg at the same time of tapping his left foot.

"All I know is that it's my fault and it's my fault that I can't remember."

And with that Ryder left the room.


End file.
